‘The Walking Dead’ Spoilers Season 7: Shiva Confirmed! Ezekiel’s Pet Tiger Is Part of New Season

‘The Walking Dead’ spoilers for Season 7 have leaked and confirm that not only has King Ezekiel of the Kingdom been cast but that his pet tiger Shiva will be part of the storyline. There’s no word yet on who will play Ezekiel, but details have come out about how Shiva will be represented on-screen.

Working with a live tiger is expensive – and potentially dangerous – and TWD has chosen a safer option. SpoilTheDead.com, the group that monitors activities on ‘The Walking Dead’ in Georgia, has confirmed that the exotic cat will be played be a combination of CGI and animatronics (i.e. high-tech puppetry).

Currently, TWD filming is taking place at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta and the large property is reportedly where The Kingdom set has been constructed. Ezekiel is the “king” of this new community that we’ll be introduced to as Season 7 of ‘The Walking Dead’ kicks off this Fall.

We met two members of The Kingdom in the finale of Season 6 but they weren’t properly introduced. In the finale, a badly injured Carol Peletier [Melissa McBride] and Morgan Jones [Lenny James] were met by two men in armor on horseback.

Showrunner Greg Nicotero confirmed that they were soldiers of The Kingdom and that they would feature heavily in Season 7. If the AMC TV version of Ezekiel plays out like his comic book alter-ego, we’ll meet a flamboyant former zookeeper with a penchant for drama.

Many fans wondered if TWD showrunners might skip the tiger since it would be costly and difficult whether it was a live exotic cat or special effects, but it’s a green light on the kitty so we’re excited to see how well it translates from comic to screen.

In the books, The Kingdom was a former high school with a blockade of school buses around the perimeter and other obstacles to prevent invaders (and walkers) from making it into their space. Ezekiel is reported to appear in Season 7 as early as Episode 3 or Episode 4 along with Shiva.

Carol and Morgan are slated to spend time at The Kingdom while Carol is treated for her gunshot wounds she suffered at the hands of a Savior that tracked her down to kill her. The Kingdom soldiers that found Carol and Morgan in the finale will take them to The Kingdom.

Then, by the end of ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7, other TWD spoilers indicate The Kingdom will unite with other communities to fight Negan and the Saviors, likely as part of the Season 7 finale. But the Shiva confirmation sets the stage for a new direction with bold new characters.

Check back with Soap Opera Spy often for more ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7 spoilers including the Ezekiel casting reveal as soon as news breaks. Share your comments below and come back often for more Season 7 news.

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